Friday, November 4, 2011

For the last week, I have been searching for a butternut squash soup recipe. I wanted something tasty, simple and simple. I saw all kinds that were very intriguing. Adding curry, different spices, etc. Then this morning I woke up and told the Trout that I wanted butternut squash soup for dinner.

So, we were off to the farmer's market and there sat a very large butternut squash for $1.50. What is not to love. In fact, we only used about 1/2 of it for this soup. Now I need to find something to do with the rest.

The recipe I used from Whole Foods Market was excellent. Simple, as I wanted, but extremely tasty. What you do not see in the picture is me dipping my warm, crusty bread into the soup and getting every last drop out of the bottom of the bowl.

Actually, as we were preparing it in the kitchen....the Trout is definitely the chopper and dicer, I started thinking that maybe this will be too bland. Nah....not at all. If you want a simple but great tasting soup that will be on the table with only 30 minutes of cooking.....look no further. Enjoy.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery, and onion. Cook until the vegetables have begun to soften and the onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butternut squash and thyme. Stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Alternatively, carefully puree soup in batches in a traditional blender. (CAUTION: do not put the lid on tight without leaving an opening for steam to escape) Don't ask for reasons...just believe.

A butternut squash is difficult to prepare. Use a carrot peeler to get the skin off the squash and go deep enough to remove all the light yellow colors. They will be stringy otherwise. It will not be too difficult then to cut in half, remove the seeds and then cube in uniform sizes.

This says "fall"! I purchased several butternut squash at our last farmer's market of the fall and will be making soup very soon. I purchased an immersion blender last year and don't know how I managed so long without one!!

Yum...it's time to start the soups and the stews up here, we have 2-3 inches of snow on the ground as of this evening...LOL! I was thinking of you and your facial expression...LOL! But it's so pretty Susan...hahahahaha!

Thought id say hello while passing your blog by, and i hope you folks have a very nice weekend. We are maybe a little past fall peek colors for taking pictures of our tree's here in central Pennsylvania, but ill try anyway to go out one last time to snap some images. Richard from the Amish community of Lebanon Pennsylvania.

I had an immersion blender for years. It has to be at least 20 years ago. It was an Italian brand and came with several different blades. Someone gave me a new one she never used, and I donated mine to church. This one isn't as good, but it gets the soup done.I love butternut squash soup. I use some apples in mine.I wonder if an electric knife would work cutting it? My friend gave me one of those I never used. I have some butternut, I will give it a try! I bought a spaghetti squash too at the farm. .49 a lb.Have a great Sunday!

Hi, Susan. I always love to come here because your food photos always look so delicious! I am going to copy your recipe and get my son to make it for me one day(he is a young chef!) -- and if you still have the other half of the butternut squash, please try cooking it this way, you and Trout will love it: cut it in small cubes, put in a roasting pan, drizzle olive oil on it, add salt and pepper. Roast at about 350 degrees (or higher if you prefer) until soft. Turn it over with a spatula a couple of times while roasting. The roasted flavor is out of this world, with the butternut squash so nice and sweet and caramelized. Easy and delicious.Thank you again for your sweet comment on the loss of my cat. God bless you.Best,Gloria

Love butternut squash. I made risotto with butternut and it was like eating candy! We'll be eating lots of soups this winter - we've already started. And... there's a butternut sitting on my counter :) I have an immersion blender... now where *did* I put that thing??